Daybreak Ranger // Nightfall Predator MTG Card


Daybreak Ranger // Nightfall Predator - Innistrad
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Archer Ranger Werewolf
Abilities Transform
Released2011-09-30
Set symbol
Set nameInnistrad
Set codeISD
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number176
Frame2003
Layouttransform
Borderblack
Illustred bySteve Prescott

Key Takeaways

  1. Daybreak Ranger transitions into Nightfall Predator for repeatable creature removal, enhancing your board control.
  2. Instant speed ability of its night form offers strategic play, deterring opponent actions during their turn.
  3. Limited to green mana and higher cost, careful deck construction is required to optimize Daybreak Ranger’s potential.

Text of card

: Daybreak Ranger deals 2 damage to target creature with flying. At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Daybreak Ranger.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Daybreak Ranger provides a dual benefit, operating as both a creature and a transformational removal tool. This versatility can generate significant card advantage over the course of a game. Once flipped, the Nightfall Predator provides repeatable removal of key creatures without expending additional cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: While Daybreak Ranger itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it effectively handles opposing threats, enabling your other resource acceleration methods to work unimpeded. By controlling the board, you can more safely invest in your resources and develop your mana base.

Instant Speed: The flip side of this card, Nightfall Predator, boasts an activated ability that can be used at instant speed, allowing for strategic flexibility during the game. This threat of activation can deter opponents from attacking and influence their play, providing a subtle form of control over the pacing of gameplay.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Daybreak Ranger requires a firm strategy as it lacks card advantage. Without an inbuilt mechanism to replace cards in hand, players could face a deficit in resources upon casting. This aspect can be detrimental in the long game, especially when facing decks designed around card efficiency.

Specific Mana Cost: Daybreak Ranger’s reliance on green mana to cast can be restrictive. Its color-specific mana cost dictates its inclusion in decks that are heavy in green or have a well-managed mana base to accommodate such requirements. This can limit the card’s versatility in multi-color deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating mana efficiency, Daybreak Ranger sits on the higher side. With a casting cost that invests heavily in one turn, players might find themselves unable to react or commit to other plays. Its transformed state also harbors a similar cost issue, which requires careful planning to ensure maximum value from the card’s abilities.


Reasons to Include Daybreak Ranger in Your Collection

Versatility: Daybreak Ranger offers adaptability to various gameplay scenarios. It’s not only a solid creature during the day but can transform into the formidable Nightfall Predator under the right conditions, capable of taking out key threats on the board.

Combo Potential: Its night-side ability to destroy other creatures taps into synergy with werewolf mechanics and any strategy focused on controlling the tempo and state of the game. This attribute offers numerous interactions and powerful combos in werewolf-themed decks.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment that favors creature-based combat, Daybreak Ranger serves as an asset. Its potential to control the battlefield becomes significantly amplified, making it a valuable tool against the slew of creature-centric strategies found in many metas.


How to beat

In the realm of MTG, Daybreak Ranger is a versatile werewolf card that challenges opponents with its transformation ability. This creature becomes deadly under the right circumstances, especially if left unchecked during the night. A key strategy to countering Daybreak Ranger is managing the pace of your plays. Ensuring at least two spells are cast during a turn will prevent it from transforming into its more formidable night-side, Nightfall Predator. It’s also beneficial to remove it swiftly through targeted removal spells before it can flip or generate value for your opponent.

Another effective method includes the use of combat tricks to overpower it in battle or evasion tactics like flying, which Daybreak Ranger cannot interact with. Don’t forget to consider the power of board wipes to reset the field. Countering Daybreak Ranger requires a mix of strategic spellcasting and timely creature control, blending proactive and reactive plays to maintain dominance over this lycanthropic threat on the battlefield.

Altogether, the Daybreak Ranger presents a challenge that necessitates a combination of smart play sequencing and the right tools for removal. By remaining vigilant and versatile in your approach, you can mitigate the threat of this transforming creature and maintain an upper hand during your MTG matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Grasping the myriad strategies of MTG can lead to epic gameplay experiences. Daybreak Ranger exemplifies such tactical depth with its night-time transformation into the menacing Nightfall Predator. Revealing potential with every turn, it beckons you to outmaneuver opponents with creatures that double as removal tools. Balancing your deck’s composition to include seamless mana integration and smart card choices enhances these plays. Eager to leverage Daybreak Ranger’s strengths or discover more transformative cards to outwit the competition? Step into our world for insights that refine your deck and uplift your tactics for that next decisive victory in MTG.


Cards like Daybreak Ranger // Nightfall Predator

Daybreak Ranger is an intriguing creature card in MTG that transforms into Nightfall Predator under specific conditions. This ability links it to the “Werewolf” archetype, making it similar to other double-faced cards such as Reckless Waif, which also transforms but begins as a smaller creature and lacks the Ranger’s ability to fight other creatures. The versatility of Daybreak Ranger is evident when compared with straightforward werewolf creatures like Wolfbitten Captive, which can boost its power instead of transforming but doesn’t offer the control over the battlefield that the Ranger’s fighting ability does.

Another card with similarities is Huntmaster of the Fells, which provides both a creature and direct damage upon transformation—not to mention life gain. While Huntmaster of the Fells has an immediate impact when it transforms, the Daybreak Ranger requires a target to leverage its ability to the fullest. Lastly, comparing it to Kruin Outlaw, which provides menace to all Werewolves you control after transforming, emphasizes Daybreak Ranger’s unique role in providing targeted removal within the werewolf strategy.

Overall, Daybreak Ranger holds its ground among the transformative cards of its kind, offering distinct control advantages while aligning seamlessly with the werewolf-themed decks popular in MTG.

Cards similar to Daybreak Ranger // Nightfall Predator by color, type and mana cost

Centaur Archer - MTG Card versions
Giant Trap Door Spider - MTG Card versions
Jungle Troll - MTG Card versions
Raging Kavu - MTG Card versions
Verduran Emissary - MTG Card versions
Viashino Grappler - MTG Card versions
Hunting Kavu - MTG Card versions
Lithatog - MTG Card versions
Svella, Ice Shaper - MTG Card versions
Feral Animist - MTG Card versions
Wilderness Elemental - MTG Card versions
Boggart Ram-Gang - MTG Card versions
Tattermunge Duo - MTG Card versions
Godtracker of Jund - MTG Card versions
Immerwolf - MTG Card versions
Fanatic of Xenagos - MTG Card versions
Ulrich's Kindred - MTG Card versions
Relentless Hunter - MTG Card versions
Khenra Charioteer - MTG Card versions
Hallar, the Firefletcher - MTG Card versions
Centaur Archer - Ice Age (ICE)
Giant Trap Door Spider - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Jungle Troll - Mirage (MIR)
Raging Kavu - Invasion (INV)
Verduran Emissary - Invasion (INV)
Viashino Grappler - Invasion (INV)
Hunting Kavu - Invasion (INV)
Lithatog - Odyssey (ODY)
Svella, Ice Shaper - Kaldheim (KHM)
Feral Animist - Dragon's Maze (DGM)
Wilderness Elemental - Coldsnap (CSP)
Boggart Ram-Gang - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Tattermunge Duo - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Godtracker of Jund - Alara Reborn (ARB)
Immerwolf - Shadows of the Past (SIS)
Fanatic of Xenagos - Born of the Gods (BNG)
Ulrich's Kindred - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
Relentless Hunter - Battlebond (BBD)
Khenra Charioteer - Amonkhet Remastered (AKR)
Hallar, the Firefletcher - Dominaria Promos (PDOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Daybreak Ranger // Nightfall Predator MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Daybreak Ranger // Nightfall Predator and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Daybreak Ranger // Nightfall Predator has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Daybreak Ranger // Nightfall Predator card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2016-07-13 For more information on double-faced cards, see the Shadows over Innistrad mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/shadows-over-innistrad-mechanics).

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